Installed New Harbor Freight Badland Bumper Winch

[Concentric_Killa]

Still on the fence on this winch compared to the zeon 12k. Been using warn products for years and I can get any individual part for them for years to come. I do think they are a little over priced (warn) but as with any recovery gear, you can transfer it to other vehicles.

I will however buy a winch plate and modify my stock plastic bumper for the install.

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[ShadowsPapa]

Been using warn products for years and I can get any individual part for them for years to come.

Can't speak to the future, but a couple of Youtubers have abused the crap outta their Apex winches and went to HF and ordered replacement parts with no issues. One guy pulled so hard he twisted the winch plate which twisted the winch a bit and cracked the electric housing on the top.
Who knows about the future. I'd hope that any of the "major players" would offer most parts for the foreseeable future.

I think the plastic bumper installs are interesting, and a couple of members here have done fabulous jobs, looking excellent, in their installs.
If I were to ever install a winch on my wife's JLU, I'd be tempted to go that route. She says no such mods, but we'll see........

 

[BearDog]

I did the Arcus and Badlands as well. My Arcus had zero issues, so maybe their QC department needs a once over. I'm happy. To me its the perfect look. Next is the fender chop with the Quake 9x1.5 mounts.

 

[Summitsearcher]

Can't speak to the future, but a couple of Youtubers have abused the crap outta their Apex winches and went to HF and ordered replacement parts with no issues. One guy pulled so hard he twisted the winch plate which twisted the winch a bit and cracked the electric housing on the top.
Who knows about the future. I'd hope that any of the "major players" would offer most parts for the foreseeable future.

I think the plastic bumper installs are interesting, and a couple of members here have done fabulous jobs, looking excellent, in their installs.
If I were to ever install a winch on my wife's JLU, I'd be tempted to go that route. She says no such mods, but we'll see........

Bill………….Happy wife, happy life. That’s almost like looking in her purse.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Bill………….Happy wife, happy life. That’s almost like looking in her purse.

I could replace the bumper as long as it was purple.......

 

[Jaxmax]

That is great that the HF Apex can relocate the control box, never realized that, always seemed only the old school types with the control box being seperate on the winch bars could do it. Solves the whole winch disconnect for the most part, as in my case my control box is next to the battery and the cable is about 10" long.......Jack

 

[ShadowsPapa]

That is great that the HF Apex can relocate the control box, never realized that, always seemed only the old school types with the control box being seperate on the winch bars could do it. Solves the whole winch disconnect for the most part, as in my case my control box is next to the battery and the cable is about 10" long.......Jack

They include a cover and the cables to make it remote when you buy the winch. No other parts are necessary. They give instructions on how to do it.

 

['22JTRD]

Any shim plates to move the winch power cables away from the grill would need to go between the Frame Horns and Winch Plate.

The next problem with shims is the inside Frame Rail mounting location won't be aligned properly with the Winch Plate tab on both sides.

Using shims would also suck the oem fogs back into their pockets proportionally to the thickness of said shims.

If you are concerned about the wire sleeve and grill contact, IMHO, the best solution is to relocate the wire out of the side of the Control Box as shown in the earlier post.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Using shims would also suck the oem fogs back into their pockets proportionally to the thickness of said shims.

Why? The fog lights are screwed to the bumper, not the frame. Makes no difference. I know personally.

Any shim plates to move the winch power cables away from the grill would need to go between the Frame Horns and Winch Plate.

only if the winch plate goes between the frame horns and the bumper.
My bulldog plate goes on the back side of the frame's bumper mounting flanges so it's impossible to use plates to space it out.

Can't use spacers with some winch plates. Only the sort that goes between bumper and frame.
This is an example of the Bulldog plate ->

I used plates to move the bumper away from the winch.
Starting at the rear, going forward - plate behind frame, then frame, then spacers, then bumper.

Spacers would indeed move this plate and thus the winch forward away from the grill ->

Like I showed earlier, I used a cable clamp to pull the power cable forward to clear the grill with ease with my 2020. I changed things around with my 2022.
All of this will vary with the winch plate and/or bumper.
There's no "one solution fits all", just ideas that may work in some situations.

I have spacer plates on my 2022.
Bumper spacers can't have any impact on MOPAR bumpers as the fog lights mount right to the bumper.

 

['22JTRD]

QUOTE="ShadowsPapa, post: 1127820, member: 25284"
Why? The fog lights are screwed to the bumper, not the frame. Makes no difference. I know personally.

Reply:
On a Rugged Ridge Arcus Front Bumper;
The Fog Bracket mounts behind the Frame Horn.
The winch Plate mounts on the Face of the Frame Horn.
Any Additional Plate/Spacer/Washer used between the Winch Plate and Frame Horn to move the Winch Forward and affect an increase in space between the rear of the winch and the Face of the Grill will also increase the distance from the Fog Mount Bracket and the Face of the Bumper Shell equal to the thickness of said Plate/Shim.


QUOTE="ShadowsPapa, post: 1127820, member: 25284"

only if the winch plate goes between the frame horns and the bumper.

Reply:
The RR Arcus Winch Plate Only goes between the Frame Horn and OEM Recovery Hooks or optional 3rd party Shackle Mounts, finished off with the Arcus Bumper Shell

QUOTE="ShadowsPapa, post: 1127820, member: 25284"
My bulldog plate goes on the back side of the frame's bumper mounting flanges so it's impossible to use plates to space it out.

Can't use spacers with some winch plates.

I used plates to move the bumper away from the winch.

Bumper spacers can't have any impact on MOPAR bumpers as the fog lights mount right to the bumper.

Reply:
While I will be the 1st to compliment your extreme insight and willingness to be of assistance to all who inquire here,
The information you have provided in relation to other Bumpers, Winch plates and or winches is not relevant to the thread.

This thread is concerning the Rugged Ridge Arcus and it's installation where-in the Power wires on a Harbor Freight Apex Badlands 12k winch are tight to the grill in a normal as supplied installation and the user modifications that have eliminated this area of contact.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

QUOTE="ShadowsPapa, post: 1127820, member: 25284"
Why? The fog lights are screwed to the bumper, not the frame. Makes no difference. I know personally.

Reply:
On a Rugged Ridge Arcus Front Bumper;
The Fog Bracket mounts behind the Frame Horn.
The winch Plate mounts on the Face of the Frame Horn.
Any Additional Plate/Spacer/Washer used between the Winch Plate and Frame Horn to move the Winch Forward and affect an increase in space between the rear of the winch and the Face of the Grill will also increase the distance from the Fog Mount Bracket and the Face of the Bumper Shell equal to the thickness of said Plate/Shim.


QUOTE="ShadowsPapa, post: 1127820, member: 25284"

only if the winch plate goes between the frame horns and the bumper.

Reply:
The RR Arcus Winch Plate Only goes between the Frame Horn and OEM Recovery Hooks or optional 3rd party Shackle Mounts, finished off with the Arcus Bumper Shell

QUOTE="ShadowsPapa, post: 1127820, member: 25284"
My bulldog plate goes on the back side of the frame's bumper mounting flanges so it's impossible to use plates to space it out.

Can't use spacers with some winch plates.

I used plates to move the bumper away from the winch.

Bumper spacers can't have any impact on MOPAR bumpers as the fog lights mount right to the bumper.

Reply:
While I will be the 1st to compliment your extreme insight and willingness to be of assistance to all who inquire here,
The information you have provided in relation to other Bumpers, Winch plates and or winches is not relevant to the thread.

This thread is concerning the Rugged Ridge Arcus and it's installation where-in the Power wires on a Harbor Freight Apex Badlands 12k winch are tight to the grill in a normal as supplied installation and the user modifications that have eliminated this area of contact.

And that's why I showed the other solution - simply use a cable strap or clamp to pull the cable around and secure it so it doesn't hit the grill. I posted pic of that option earlier in case someone didn't want to mess with moving the electrics off the winch, or re-routing the cable out the end. One can massage the cable around to the right end (passenger side) of the winch and secure it there like I did. You can still pull the grill forward to work with headlights and so on.
If this bumper and mount moves the winch back so far that that option won't work (a 5 or 10 minute task) then there's only two other choices. Both more involved.

 

[Jefe1018]

I worked out the bugs with my winch install, badland Apex 12,000lb winch with synthetic line is in.

I also opted for the out the side routing of the wiring.

 

['22JTRD]

And that's why I showed the other solution - simply use a cable strap or clamp to pull the cable around and secure it so it doesn't hit the grill. I posted pic of that option earlier in case someone didn't want to mess with moving the electrics off the winch, or re-routing the cable out the end. One can massage the cable around to the right end (passenger side) of the winch and secure it there like I did. You can still pull the grill forward to work with headlights and so on.
If this bumper and mount moves the winch back so far that that option won't work (a 5 or 10 minute task) then there's only two other choices. Both more involved.

I don't think you have seen this in real life.

There is no clamp that will pull the power wire sleeve to facilitate clearing the grill.

As stated earlier, the only real solution is to come out of the passenger side of or completely relocate the control box.

 

[Stan H]

When you come out the side did you simply drill a new hole? was there trouble fishing the wire out the side ?
How did you seal the old hole up ? Thanks
Just picked one up noticed the same thing on mine havent installed yet.
I also couldn't decide how to route the wires up into the engine bay . A hint on that would be appreciated.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

When you come out the side did you simply drill a new hole? was there trouble fishing the wire out the side ?
How did you seal the old hole up ? Thanks
Just picked one up noticed the same thing on mine havent installed yet.
I also couldn't decide how to route the wires up into the engine bay . A hint on that would be appreciated.

i ran in on the frame and up past the EHPS pump and on up.

Although on my 2020 I did NOT move the cable but simply "massaged" it and clamped it forward away from the grill, for my 2022, I decided to relocate the cable. Toughest part was inside the box, getting the sharper angle inside, but not horribly tough, either.

Drilled a hole, used a grommet for new cable location -

Sealed old, rear old, with a sold grommet (I keep an assortment of those on hand anyway)

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